Will riggers raise thier prices on reserve repacks?

[JohnDeere 0]

Agree 100%!!!!!!

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As a non-rigger I find two things hard to believe. The first is that riggers haven't seen this coming, and universally agreed to raise the prices 50% to cover their losses.

I know some riggers that figured it out before hand!

No I am not a rigger but I have told my rigger for as long as i have known him that he dosent make enought. I tip my rigger very well.....I think so anyways! Who out there can say that riggers dont deserve more for the time it takes to do a repack? Fuck, that is bullshit wages for someone saving my life! For everybody that says its to much, you can fix that pretty easy by getting your riggers ticket!

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[ozzy13 0]

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The job they are doing is the exact same.
The cost of doing said job, has not increased one bit with an extended repack cycle.
Any cost increase would be a complete crock of crap.

What about people in the "real world" that get raises every year even though they're still doing the same amount of work? Or the price of groceries/food going up. For example Pizza Hut recently raised the price of a pizza. I still get the same amount of pizza, but now it's $1 more.

So it's ok for the rest of the world to raise prices but not riggers...interesting....

You are talking about inflation. That is totally different.

The price of gas when I was a kid was .25. Now its over $2.00
As for the price for a repack 20 years ago was a lot cheaper then it is now

Of course the consumer will always pay the price.

If it cost more for riggers to their job I would expect them to raise their price. Just like every DZ I know raising their prices this year.

Its not costing them more to pack less. Its that they are working less so they will be making less. There is a difference

It's hard for riggers to put up prices because the rigger down the street may not and skydivers being cost conscious folk may just go there instead.

Its the same way in my business. Their is always someone willing to do it cheaper. I work for car dealers and they are always looking to cut corners especially now!!!

Never give the gates up and always trust your rears!

[ozzy13 0]

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You are talking about inflation. That is totally different.

The price of gas when I was a kid was .25. Now its over $2.00
As for the price for a repack. 20 years ago it was a lot cheaper then, than it is now

Of course the consumer will always pay the price.

If it cost more for riggers to their job I would expect them to raise their price. Just like every DZ I know raising their prices this year.

Its not costing them more to pack less. Its that they are working less so they will be making less. There is a difference

You do realize a rigger has to use certain things when doing a repack. There is the replacement of the closing loop, the cleaning of the cables, new rubberbands (if he inspects & packs the main), the seal, seal thread. Guess what? the cost of the material to make the closing loop has gone up, the price of the lubricant for the cables has gone up, the price of seal thread has gone up, the price of seals has gone up...

.
Skydiving in all aspects is expensive - deal with it or find a new sport.

No I think Ill stay and not deal with you

you catching on yet? NO IM not! His supplies costs
just changed this week ?


Yea I realize that.. None of that has change this week!!! The only thing that has changed is that I don't need a repack for a180 day. His supplies are still the same

SO WHY WOULD IT COST MORE TO DO THE SAME THING AS LAST WEEK?

Never give the gates up and always trust your rears!

[councilman24 36]

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As a non-rigger I find two things hard to believe. The first is that riggers haven't seen this coming, and universally agreed to raise the prices 50% to cover their losses.

We've seen it coming, and I've surveyed lots of riggers. No concensus but many thought they'd up it some but not the full 50%.

And to agree to prices would be illegal.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[ozzy13 0]

Since the reserve repack cycle is being raised to 180 days, an increase of 33%. Will riggers likewise increase their prices?

That was the original question and from that question I dont think they should! They are doing the same job , just less times.

As I said before the customer will always eat the raising cost of things in the end.

There is NO rising cost here. They are just working less. Yes they will have to do more to make the same money. How is that the consumers problem.

My costs in my business have gone up and I am being asked to lower my prices and do the same work. So why should I pay someone more money to do less work?


Hey don't get me wrong here , I'm pissing up stream. I know that the price will go up. I just don't think its right!!!!

Never give the gates up and always trust your rears!

[pchapman 261]

Here in Canada, where we went to 180 days some years ago, I didn't see much change in repack prices. Maybe a rigger bumped the price up by $5, figuring if it was time for a modest increase, now was a good a time as any.

While with 180 days a rigger might have to deal with more wear and tear on rigs, in some way it made it easier to recommend work to be done. There was perhaps less of a feeling that something could wait for the next repack in a few months. For some, 180 days is a full season.

[sunshine 2]

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Here in Canada, where we went to 180 days some years ago, I didn't see much change in repack prices. Maybe a rigger bumped the price up by $5, figuring if it was time for a modest increase, now was a good a time as any.

Even though i agree with the fulltime riggers if they do raise their rates, i have no intention of raising mine (which is already lower than most riggers in my area). I only rig for about 10-15 of my good friends and thats it. I will not pack for anyone that isn't a good friend of mine. Because i just do it in my spare time and not as my sole source of income, i can pick & choose who i pack for. Since i know what's involved in doing repacks, i have total respect for the peeps that do it fulltime.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[DeNReN 0]

Raising the price for a AIR just because the time frame has been extended is foolish and boarders on criminal.....imagine me as a mechanic charging my customer more labour for installing longer lasting brake pads just because I wouldnt get to change them as often.....

However if a rigger feels they need to increase what they charge for a AIR then just do so...dont use the extended repack cycle as a excuse..cite legitimate reasons such as inflation yada yada...or my fav...just because.

My repacks are usually free as I am my riggers mechanic...... he sais to me...pack carefully,dont do CREW as he hands my rig back ....I say to not use his brakes too much and to bring a book next time he's in for car service

[likestojump 3]

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The problem is that you are assuming that demand for repacks is elastic. And it IS NOT. As repacks are REQUIRED, the demand itself will go down, but the elasticity won't change.

Like teh gasoline - though the prices in the US have doubled, the use has not been cut in half, and now, that the prices have the receded, the use has not doubled.

Of course there is elasticity. But this only translates to how much of the drop in demand will translate in a drop in the price. Prices still SHOULD go down.

To use your gas analogy, when the price doubled, demand didnt half, but it did reduce.

I did not mean to say that the demand is absolutely inelastic. Just that it is highly inelastic. Just like the gasoline prices that you just quoted. The relationship between price change and demand is not linear.

[floormonkey 0]

I decided awhile back I was going to raise mine 50% when the change came. Since then, I've quit rigging full time. The local union raised their prices a few months ago, to a 50% increase. In this area, I doubt prices will go up any more. I haven't raised mine yet, but will when the 180 rule goes into effect.

As a professional rigger, I would definately raise my prices. I don't think many jumpers, especially those who say "there's no increase in work, so no price increase" really understand what it takes to be a GOOD rigger, not just someone who packs reserves. (don't bother telling me you do, or you understand but..., or any other crap like that. What would you tell your boss if s/he cuts your income by 1/3?)

Hell, I spend more time on rigs now that I don't do it as often. I have to check every component for SB's since I last packed one. I'm less likely to have packed it before, so out comes the magnifying glass. I have to read the manual of almost everything before I can even pack them anymore.

With that said, maybe the less rigging I do the more I should charge. I already have a $10 pain in the ass fee for anything that's a pain in the ass. I refuse to pack a bunch of stuff that is a pain.

Look at it this way, those of you who don't want the prices to go up. More then 75% of the skydiving population will want their rig packed in Feb/March/April and in Aug/Sept/Oct. If you have problems getting your rig packed now, what will it be like next year? I'd start buying your rigger some beer now.

Maybe I'll just raise my prices Feb-apr and aug-oct...

[johnny1488 1]

Basicly I would say these are my prices and I dont have to justify why I charge what I charge, go somewhere else if you dont like it.

I rig in a loft and people come there pretty much regardless of price ( we recently raised our prices.) If people want to save a buck, they will. We turn plenty of people away during the year because of sheer volume. Maybe now we will be able to fit everyone. Maybe this new cycle means more repacks for us.

Anyway, riggers, charge what you want, charge what you think it's worth, and raise your prices as high as you want and fuck'em if they dont like it. Tell them to save themselves.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome

[JohnDeere 0]

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but will when the 180 rule goes into effect.

As i hoped you would!

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what it takes to be a GOOD rigger

As i hope you are

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With that said, maybe the less rigging I do the more I should charge

I thought i tipped good enought already!!!?????

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I already have a $10 pain in the ass fee for anything that's a pain in the ass.

Is that why my rigging bill is higher with you???

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I'd start buying your rigger some beer now.

I thought i already covered that??!!

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[Skydivesg 6]

You can tell Winter is about to set in.

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[skybytch 259]

How would you react to having your income cut by 20+ percent?

[Squeak 17]

From the sound of your post, it might be time to hang up the sewing machines and fids altogether

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Squeak 17]

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How would you react to having your income cut by 20+ percent?

Is my workload cut down aswell

I'd be fine if my boss said we only want you 4 days a week now, not 5 and consequently we'll cut your salary accordingly.

AWESOME, Friday Saturday Sunday jumping
or temp work for a day at a higher rate then i was getting for full timeBring it on, it's all about being flexible and really not giving a toss

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[SStewart 13]

I don't see much change. In the northern climates most jumpers get a repack before safety day and then again mid to late summer. Most reserves I see are only repacked twice a year anyway.

As far as price:

Back in the 80's rounds were $35 and squares were $45. (because they were more "difficult")

Now, here we are all these years later and I still charge only $50 for a reserve repack.....

All Squares and all about the same (sorry, I don't do racers)


So regardless of the FAA I think ALL repacks should be at least $75

Onward and Upward!

[MikeForsythe 0]

Yes, I am raising my prices effective January 1, 2009 but it has nothing to do with the rule change. I review my cost every year and make the appropriate adjustments. It is the result of increased expenses such as taxes, materials, utilities, insurance and cost of living. The only thing that I can give away to customers that does not cost me anything is NOTHING. I put a per hour opportunity value to my time. That is what you pay if I pack rigs, sweep floors or do engineering.

The nice thing about a free market is that if you don’t like what your rigger charges or the quality of service that they provide you can go somewhere else.

Time and pressure will always show you who a person really is!

[popsjumper 2]

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Yes, I am raising my prices effective January 1, 2009 but it has nothing to do with the rule change. I review my cost every year and make the appropriate adjustments. It is the result of increased expenses such as taxes, materials, utilities, insurance and cost of living.

See now? THIS makes sense. To use the new rules to justify price increase is ballsy.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[popsjumper 2]

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Basicly I would say these are my prices and I dont have to justify why I charge what I charge

You're right!

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go somewhere else if you dont like it....fuck'em if they dont like it. Tell them to save themselves.

You're wrong!
That attitude tells me that you have that "fuck you" attitude. Not what I want in a person that I have to depend on...for any reason.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[ozzy13 0]

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How would you react to having your income cut by 20+ percent?

My income has bin cut close to 50 percent.Thats why I am reacting the way I am

Never give the gates up and always trust your rears!

[johnny1488 1]

My attitude about how I do my work is not the same as how I get compensated for it.

Someone who thinks they can tell me what my ime is worth is the problem I have, and yes I say fuck it, if another rigger does the same job I do, then go pay less for it. I think I do the best job possible, so I have no problem charging for it.

I am also posting on a subject hypotheticly here, not telling a customer "fuck you". Kind of a fishbowl here.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome

[Andrewwhyte 1]

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I decided awhile back I was going to raise mine 50% when the change came. Since then, I've quit rigging full time. The local union price fixing cartel acting in violation of federal law raised their prices a few months ago, to a 50% increase..

Fixed it for you.

[klingeme 0]

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I don't feel that the $65CAD we get for a repack in Canada is a good wage considering how long it takes to do a repack without cutting any corners.

$32.50 an hour (assuming 2 hours for an I/R) is not a good wage? If you can do it for 40 hours a week, that is about $65,000 a year. Sound like a decent wage to me.

Mark Klingelhoefer

[klingeme 0]

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You do realize a rigger has to use certain things when doing a repack. There is the replacement of the closing loop, the cleaning of the cables, new rubberbands (if he inspects & packs the main), the seal, seal thread. Guess what? the cost of the material to make the closing loop has gone up, the price of the lubricant for the cables has gone up, the price of seal thread has gone up, the price of seals has gone up....you catching on yet?

The value of the things you just mentioned cost (and I'm rounding up) about 50 cents per pack job, so if the cost of said materials doubles and my repack goes up 50 cents, I'll understand. These are VERY nominal "costs".